LSE ends the year on a high as flotations help market to soar

Thursday 23 January 2014 11:22 BST

P89 biz ed 13/11/2013 Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire unveils The Smiler, the world's first 14-looped rollercoaster - setting a new Guinness World Record for the most inversions - which opens to the public on May 23, 2013. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Thursday May 9, 2013. The new ?18 million record-breaking ride, which includes plunging 30 metre drops, is the biggest in the Resort?s history. Photo credit should read: Fabio De Paola/PA Wire

Buouyed by a growing pipeline of share flotations, revived equity trading and its takeover of LCH Clearnet, the London Stock Exchange saw revenues in the final three months of last year soar 48% to £309 million.

That quarter saw the £3.4 billion initial public offering of Alton Towers and London Eye-owner Merlin.

This year is likely to see even more eye-catching names coming to market with online takeaway food-odering service Just Eat the latest looking to float with a value of some £900 million.

Others in the wings include Poundland, Fat Face and Saga.

Excluding the £61 million revenue contribution from LCH Clearnet, the LSE’s revenues rose 13%. The strongest growth came in capital markets where the rash of share offers and investors returning to buy shares instead of bonds drove revenues up by 21% to £80.1 million.

Chief executive Xavier Rolet said: “All of our main business segments have recorded good performances, both through organic development and as a result of successful additions to the group’s portfolio of businesses.”